


Tango Torero!

by SwedishTaco



Category: Book of Life (2014)
Genre: Boys Are Dumb, Dancing, F/M, Humor, Pre Cannon, Toro Tango, awkward moments, baby dads having baby fights, or competitions, seriously carlos and captain mondragon are always getting into fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:53:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4119175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwedishTaco/pseuds/SwedishTaco
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After meeting Carmen at a cantina in Mexico City, Carlos want’s to impress her the next time they meet with a dance…but he doesn’t know how. The only person he can turn to is the last person on earth he’d ask for help: Captain Mondragon. </p><p>My interpretation on how Carlos and Carmen first met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shut Up and Dance With Me (part 1)

He raised his fist to knock on the elegant door, but stopped himself at the last minute. With a growl, he started to pace in front of the door again, feeling even more foolish than when he first showed up here.

This was ridiculous. He didn’t need that…pompous, pig-headed, gloating son of a bitch to help him with anything. He could do just fine on his own, he always had before! But as he continued to pace, his thoughts drifted back to the cantina, and how far out of his element he had been…how embarrassed he’d been after.

Cursing to himself, he whirled on the door and forced himself to knock. The action was more of a pounding, taking his frustrations out on the wood rather than the man’s face once it appeared. But knowing that asshole…he might still do it anyway. Maybe he wouldn’t be there, and he could go home and sulk. It almost seemed like a better option given the humiliation he was about to endure.

He tried not to jump when the door opened in a flash, the tall, looming figure of the soldier appearing. The man raised a brow at him, his eyes narrowing. “The hell do you want, Sanchez?” The soldier leaned out the door and squinted at where the sun was in the sky. “It’s a bit early for you to be challenging me to a drinking contest, don’t you think?”

Carlos grit his teeth, doing his best to stop his hackles from raising. _C’mon, you can do this…you just have to be civil for a little while_. He took a deep breath and let it out, calming his temper before it could get out of hand. “Shut it, Mondragon…I have a different kind of challenge for you.” _That should get his attention_. The bullfighter tried to stand as tall as he could, but he still didn’t reach the height of his rival when he was slouching.

Captain Mondragon’s lips twitched at the prospect of another challenge. “Oh? And what would that be?” He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, crossing his legs at the ankle.

 _Bastard_. Carlos balled his hands at his side and tried to keep the growl out of his voice, but he wasn’t successful. “As much as it pains me to say this…I need your help.”

* * *

_4 weeks earlier…_

He’d been sitting in the cantina for a while, nursing a beer that his father had given him for a good fight. His corrida had gone very well for being in a new city, and he had incurred minimal injuries. A few bruises and a scar over his eye were a vast improvement over the gouges and cracked ribs from his last bullfight. Really, Carlos should consider it a win, since the beast was dead and he was still alive.

His father was much more well known in this area it seemed, since he had a crowd of fans surrounding him the moment they stepped foot into the little dive. That was fine by him; he’d had a long day and he was exhausted, and wasn’t much in the mood for long conversations and the regaling of bullfights won. He was happy to sit here and relax, and enjoy the music and atmosphere.

When the noise started to die down, as well as the lights, it pulled his attention to the stage that was now the brightest lit area in the place. It was quiet until a woman walked on stage, and then there were cheers erupting through the audience, but he hardly noticed them. His focus had been stolen by the woman on the stage.

She was beautiful, with long, curling brown hair and large brown eyes. Her lips were painted red to match her dress, with white polka-dots that showed her ankles and more of her legs than was probably acceptable even here. Her heels clicked on the stage as she walked towards the center, her steps confident and sure. She nodded to the pianist just below the stage, and she started to sway from side to side with the music.

Carlos was entranced by her voice; never before had he heard something as sweet and enchanting. And the way she moved and danced with the music, it was like it was part of her, and came as easy to her as breathing and singing. He was grateful for the darkened room, knowing that he probably looked like a fool watching her. And it had to have been his imagination that she kept looking back at him more than anywhere else. He glanced around the cantina and wasn’t surprised to see everyone’s attention focused on the woman on stage.

Feeling a little better about not being the only one affected by her singing and dancing, he relaxed into his chair and watched the show. He let himself be drawn in by her and everything else around him fell away as his focus was consumed by her. Her voice wrapped around him like a caress, and he didn’t think he’d ever felt this relaxed or at peace. It was a nice change from what he was used to.

He wasn’t sure how long she performed, but too soon, she was wrapping up her last song and thanking the audience, and then she walked off stage. The lights came back up, and the noise was quick to escalate in the small establishment. He was loath to admit that he already missed her singing and wished she’d come back onstage.

Carlos was broken from his thoughts when a waitress came by his table and set another beer down in front of him. He stared at the beverage and turned confused eyes to the waitress. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t order this.”

The woman offered him a smirk, cocking her hip to the side. “I know.” She put her hand on her hip and was discreet about directing his attention behind her. “It was sent over by your admirer at the bar, _Señor_.”

His brows furrowed even further and he leaned forward to see around the waitress. His gaze roved over the bar, looking for who could have possibly sent him a drink. Then his eyes landed on the woman from the stage. She was looking right at him, and when she caught his eye, she gave him a smile and a little wave.

Carlos was quick to lean back in his seat, feeling his face heating up and swallowing past the sudden dryness in his mouth. The bullfighter cleared his throat and gave the waitress a nod. “Uh…thank you.” He watched the woman saunter off to another table, but his eyes were quick to draw back to the fresh beer sitting in front of him. He stared at it for a few long moments before he closed his eyes and sighed, muttering to himself. “Carlos, you are a damned fool.”

He picked up the beer that he had been gifted and stood, weaving his way around tables to get to the bar. Carlos could feel the woman from the stage’s eyes on him, and it gave him jitters he hadn’t felt since his first real bullfight. He did his best to look as nonchalant as possible, but closer he got to her, the more out of his element he felt. His grip around the neck of the bottle tightened as he leaned his elbows against the bar top, offering the woman a shy smile. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come join me or not.” She gave him a wry smile over the top of her mug.

His stomach flipped when her eyes met his, and he attempted to keep himself from stuttering. “Yes, well…you took me a bit by, um…surprise.” Carlos could feel his cheeks heating the moment the words left his mouth.

“Oh?” She drew the word out, her smile turned teasing as she set her mug on the bar top. “I would think being a bullfighter you were used to getting attention.”

Carlos looked down at his drink, though he was loath to break eye contact with her. He rolled the bottle in his hands, trying to piece together a response. Being this close to her, he could smell her perfumes or lotions; she smelled like sweet flowers. “Well…more like I’m not used to having my drink…bought for me by a, uh…”

“A woman?” She asked, her brow rising in challenge. Her eyes danced with teasing, and her lips twitched in the slightest curl of a smirk.

The bullfighter missed the signs of teasing, being as nervous as he was, and cursed himself in his head. Carlos tried to fix whatever mistake he thought he made, but his attempt was halting and fumbled. “No, no. I…it’s not that, I just…it um…I don’t even…know your name?” If the ground opened up and swallowed him, he would be grateful, knowing he must look like an idiot to her.

She laughed, the sound just as musical as her singing.

It caused him to relax, even though he was beyond embarrassed. He averted his eyes down again to his drink, the bottle still almost full. Carlos listened as her laughter turned into soft giggling, finding he enjoyed the sound even if it was at his own expense. The bullfighter chanced to look at her and her eyes were bright with mirth and her smile was blinding. His stomach flipped again.

She placed her hand on his arm, and he jumped, not expecting to be touched after being laughed at. “Then let’s fix that, shall we?” Her hand left his arm to curl around her mug again, and she offered him a kind smile. “I’m Carmen Rivera. It’s nice to meet you.”

Carlos felt like her last name sounded familiar. Where had he heard that name? She was looking at him expectantly and he realized she was waiting for him to introduce herself. “Oh! I’m -”

“Carlos Sanchez.” Carmen said with a knowing grin.

The bullfighter was taken off guard with her speaking his name, and was stunned for a moment. It had absolutely nothing to do with the way she said his name, or how his heart skipped beat when he heard it come from her. _Damn it Carlos, pull yourself together!_ “Y-you know who I am? I…how?”

Carmen laughed again, twirling one her curls around her finger. “I saw your bullfight this afternoon. It was an impressive performance.” She looked towards the stage, the pianist still playing music to keep the place light. “I don’t normally go to bullfights, but my brother dragged me along and…I have to admit I enjoyed watching you.”

He could feel his face heating up at the compliment. “Oh, ah…thank you.” Carlos reached back as scratched at the back of his head, his messy pony-tail tickling the back of his neck. “You sound beautiful. I mean, your singing sounded beautiful…on the stage. Earlier.” The bullfighter wanted to kick himself. He had never had a problem talking to women before, so why was he at a loss for words now?

Carlos opened his mouth to apologize, even though Carmen appeared to be amused, but a tall shadow fell over his form. The bullfighter looked up and his jaw went slack.

“Is this hoodlum bothering you, _hermana?_ ” The man must have walked up behind Carmen while Carlos was stuttering out his weak attempt at a compliment. He was tall, appearing to tower over Carlos even when standing. His wide sombrero darkened his face and made him look meaner than he probably was – Carlos was hoping at least. He had two bandoleers strapped across his chest, and his dress wasn’t that of a soldier, but something along the lines of a lawman. Carmen’s brother shifted his weight, and his boots clinked against the floor; they gleamed even in the dim light.

When the man tilted his head back to appear more intimidating, it was then that Carlos saw the mask, and his mind clicked with who this man was: Justice Jaguar. _Oh gods, her brother was Justice Jaguar…he was so screwed_. Carlos didn’t cower, but it was a near thing with the hero looking down at him like he wanted to kick him across the room.

Carmen rolled her eyes and reached back to smack her brother. “I’m fine, thank you.” She turned her head and gave the man a look. “Honestly, every time this happens. What am I going to do with you?” She shook her head and crosser her arms. “Shouldn’t you be off chasing father or something?”

Justice Jaguar continued to watch Carlos, his eyes narrowing. “Are you sure?”

She sighed, waving her hand towards the exit. “Simon, I’m fine. Now I know there’s more crime than you can shake a stick at around here. Go…catch criminals.”

Her brother was slow to nod, but accepted that she was fine. As he passed Carlos, a heavy hand fell on his shoulder, rattling the bullfighter. “Nice job on your fight this afternoon.” He looked at the younger man long enough to get across that if he tried anything, they wouldn’t find a body. Then he was on his way, walking out the door.

“You’ll have to excuse my brother.” Carmen said in way of apology. “Sometimes he’s…too much of a hero for his own good.”

“Uh yeah…sure.” The bullfighter managed to squeak out, more concerned with living than how ridiculous he sounded. His finger twitched around the bottle still in his hand and decided now would be a good time to take a long pull from it. Carlos had almost emptied the bottle in one go before he set it down and pushed it away.

“So where are you from?” Carmen asked, leaning against the bar top. “I haven’t seen you around here before, so you’re not local. Plus it’s not common for the bullfighters from the city to hang out in…well, places like these.”

Carlos chuckled at that, scratching the back of his head again. “It’s that obvious, huh?” He traced a scratch in the wood from the counter. “Would you believe that this is my first time to the city? We’re from San Angel, and up until recently, all my fights have been held there…” Carlos took a moment to spot his father, still the happy center of attention to a group of people. “My father thought that traveling and doing performances would help spread word of my name and people would want to come see my bullfights back home.”

“It must be nice.” Carmen sighed, a pleasant smile on her face. “I’ve always wanted to travel; I’ve lived here all my life and never been too far outside the city. Is it fun, getting to travel from place to place performing?”

He had to think about that for a minute. Carlos did find it exciting to finally be somewhere else other than San Angel, the only home he’s ever known…but at the same time, he already missed it. Traveling was fun, sure, but they never stayed in a place long enough to really do anything other than a bullfight before moving onto the next town or city.

The bullfighter sighed, picking at the varnish of the bar top. “It is for a little while, but…then traveling just becomes exhausting. The towns and cities blur together. It’s not something I would choose to do on my own. I don’t know how he did it all those years.” He looked at Carmen and let out a soft chuckle. “Then again, I’ve never been much for leaving home to go out adventuring. But…something tells me you are.”

She let out another dreamy sigh, leaning her cheek in the palm of her hand. “I would love to travel and explore all of Mexico. And if I could do it by singing, even better.” Her eyes took on a faraway look, and they lost a little of their cheer. “But…I doubt my family would let me do that. You saw how my brother reacted just from me talking to you.” She waved her hand in the direction of where Simon last was.

“Well…” he started, drawing out the word. “Families do what they think is best for us right? It sounds like they’re just trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need to be protected.” She huffed, an edge to her tone that Carlos hadn’t expected.

“My apologies…”

Carmen waved him off, offering him a smile as she appeared to relax again. “No, you haven’t done anything.” She turned her mug in her hand, but didn’t seem interesting in drinking from it. “I just…I want to travel and perform.”

The bullfighter thought for a moment, unsure of how to respond. When he opened his mouth, even he was surprised with what came out. “Then do it.”

She gave him an incredulous look, raising an eyebrow. “Me. Travel and perform. Are you crazy?”

He shrugged, waving his hand towards the stage. “Well, what’s really stopping you?” Carlos leaned his elbow against the bar top, lounging against it. “You don’t strike me as the kind of woman who, ah…gives up easy.”

Carmen eyed him, her look appraising, if a little skeptical. “You think I should?”

“I don’t see why not.” The bullfighter rolled his shoulders again, his words coming to him easier for some reason. Perhaps it was the drink he had inhaled earlier. “You’re good enough, I think…better than performing in a place like this anyway.”

Something flashed in her eyes, but he couldn’t place it before it was gone. The edges of her lips curled, something in her look reading determined. Carmen opened her mouth but stopped when the music changed to something lively with a compelling tempo. Her eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face as she hopped down from the barstool she had been perched on.

Carmen was shorter than he had expected; her personality made her seem larger than she really was. The bullfighter was caught off guard when she grabbed his sleeve and gave him a gentle pull. “Want to dance?”

Carlos was thrown for a loop, his brain slow to catch up to what she was asking. “I - what?”

The singer shook her head and placed her free hand on her hip, her grin playful and eye expectant. “Do you.” She nodded in his direction. “Want to dance.” Carmen swayed a little on the spot to the music. “With me.” She pointed to herself, her smile growing with every word.”

Carlos swallowed thickly, a sense of dread and panic curling in his gut. He wanted to, he really did…but he didn’t know how. Dancing was not something a Sanchez bullfighter needed to know, so he was never taught. The closest thing to dancing he learned how to do was dodge a bull…and he was only semi-successful in that department. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, desperate to think of something that sounded somewhat intelligible. “I -”

“ _Mijo!_ ” He heard his father calling over the crowd that had started to dance to the music. Carlos knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to keep his father waiting, even for just a dance.

The one time his father would ever save him from embarrassing himself, and he wasn’t sure if he was happy or disappointed.

He looked back at Carmen’s hopeful face and he could feel his posture slipping, not wanting to upset her. “I’m sorry, I…I have to go.” Carlos was afraid to see her reaction, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away either.

Carmen gave him a warm smile that he wasn’t expecting. “Another time, then.”

The bullfighter found himself returning her smile, a strange warmth creeping up the back of his neck. “Yeah…”

“Carlos!”

“Coming!” He called over his shoulder so that the man would stop shouting. Carlos turned his attention back to the woman in front of him. “It was nice meeting you, Carmen.”

Her features softened and her smile seemed to dampen. “And a pleasure meeting you.” She touched his arm as he was turning away, catching his attention again. “And Carlos…thank you.”

His brows furrowed in confusion as to why she would be thanking him, and he didn’t get a chance to ask before his father slapped a hand down on his shoulder.

“ _Mijo_ , stop flirting. It’s time to go!” With that his father dragged him out of the cantina, the last glimpse he saw of Carmen was her waving at him. If he concentrated hard enough, he could still hear her musical laughter over the noise.

* * *

Carlos hadn’t expected to ever see her again, that it was just a chance meeting. So he’d been surprised when a month later, when he arrived back in San Angel, there was a letter waiting for him. It was even more unexpected to see that it was from Carmen, telling him that she had decided to take his advice and start traveling, singing anywhere and everywhere she could. On her traveling, which she absolutely loved, she had managed to gather up a band to play with her.

The bullfighter couldn’t stop from smiling as he read the letter, sometimes having trouble reading her writing because of her excitement. Carmen hadn’t been on the road long, but she made a point to tell him it was the best decision she’d ever made in her life and she had him to thank for it. His cheeks heated at that part, knowing that he did very little; in the end, it was her choice to leave.

When he got to the last page, his heart almost stopped. She was planning on coming here, to San Angel to sing and perform…in two weeks. He understood that she had tried to give him a heads up, but either the post was slow, or he and his father had been gone longer than he thought. The date marked on the letters was supposed to be almost a month ago…yet here he was with two weeks before he saw Carmen again. And really, it elated him to know that she was coming here and interested in seeing him again, but…it was the last line of her letter that made his stomach churn.

_I look forward to that dance you owe me!_

So in his desperation to impress her, and not look like a damned fool doing it, he found himself here. One of the last places he wanted to be, asking _the_ last person he’d ever ask for help from.

Captain Mondragon groaned and rubbed his hands down his face for the thirtieth, no…thirty-first time in four days. Carlos had been sure to keep count because while the man irritated him to no end, he was also entertained that he was causing the soldier this much grief.

“This is insane. You’re unteachable!” The Captain grumbled, rubbing his eyes with one hand while the other rested on his hip.

“Maybe if you weren’t a lousy teacher, I’d be doing better!” Carlos shot back, pointing an accusing finger at the soldier.

“Is that what you tell your father when you get injured in the bullring?” Captain Mondragon growled, rising to his full height and towering over the bullfighter.

Carlos clenched his jaw, the muscles jumping in his irritation. He straightened his back as much as he could, but he still couldn’t come close to matching the soldier’s height. The bullfighter stabbed a finger in Captain Mondragon’s chest. “You can insult me all you want, but you _do not_ bring my father into this. Lest you want the favor returned.” His tone was a low snarl, almost becoming one of the bulls that he fought.

The soldier backed off without a further fight, raising his hands in placation. He didn’t apologize, but then again, Carlos didn’t expect him to. It wasn’t just his family that thought it was a useless phrase and a waste of time.

Captain Mondragon cleared his throat and waved his hand in the direction of the training dummy the bullfighter was using as a practice dance partner. It wasn’t the greatest substitute in the world for a real person, but it was doing well enough for now.

Carlos went without a word, taking his position back up in front of the dummy and waiting for instruction.

The soldier shook his head, a smirk stretching his lips. “If only you put that much effort and energy into paying attention, we might have been done by now.”

“Can it, Mondragon.”

* * *

“For the love of god, it’s your left foot. _Left!_ ” Captain Mondragon gestured to the ground, making a quick correction to Carlos’s stance. “And stop looking at your feet!”

“How do I know if I’m doing it right if I can’t see?” Carlos grumbled, allowing himself to be repositioned. He was feeling even more foolish today than he had yesterday, and he was starting to come to the end of his patience for the soldier…not that he had much of it to begin with.

“You’ll know you’re doing it wrong when I tell you. Or when you trip, which would be preferable.” The soldier started to chuckle, but grunted when Carlos’s foot shot out and caught him in the shin. Captain Mondragon rubbed at the sore spot and grumbled. “How can you managed to do that, but you can’t get your footing right for this sequence?”

“It’s a gift.” The bullfighter snickered, but yelped when his feet almost went out from under him.

“Is it also a gift to have shitty footing?” Captain Mondragon asked with a light air, his face the picture of innocence.

“How is this supposed to help me?” Carlos growled, picking up the dummy that had ended up on the floor. It wasn’t the only thing he wished he could drop.

The soldier clicked his tongue and folded his hands behind his back. “A master never reveals his secrets.” He nodded for Carlos to start the section over.

“So you have nothing.” Carlos replied, his tone less than polite, but did as he was directed. “You just like seeing me fail.”

“Perhaps…” The soldier’s lip curled in a smirk.

“I’m beginning you regret ever coming to you.” The bullfighter growled.

“You’re not the only one.”

* * *

“I can’t do this anymore, I need a break.” Carlos groaned, wiping the sweat from his brow and collapsing into the nearest sitting chair.

“You don’t have _time_ to take a break.” Captain Mondragon huffed when Carlos glared at him. “Hey, it’s not my fault you wanted to learn how to tango in _two weeks!_ ” The soldier threw his hands in the air in frustration.

He wasn’t the only one who was feeling it, Carlos being on the receiving end of a great deal of insults and corrections. He hadn’t needed form adjusting like this since after he came out of his coma. “How was I supposed to know it was going to be this involved?”

“Because I told you the moment you suggested it!” The soldier was close to shouting, but he kept himself in check. Carlos had to admit he was impressed…just a little. “I told you it was a bad idea, but did you listen to me? No! You were determined to learn one of the most complicated dances around.”

Carlos was silent, having nothing to defend himself with. As much as he hated to admit it, the Captain was right. He’d went into this blind, but still decided that he was going to do this anyway even after he found out how much work it took. The bullfighter was starting to question his sanity and the reason he felt he needed to do this in the first place.

The soldier sighed, rubbing his hands down his face. Forty-seven. “This must be one hell of a woman for you to go through all this trouble.”

That took him off guard, the sincerity in his…not really friend, not really rival’s voice. And once again…he was also right. Carlos just knew there was something special about Carmen, but he wasn’t going to tell the soldier that. He stayed silent in his response, but he thought that the man might have smirked as he rolled his eyes.

* * *

“Ok…I think you need a change of pace before you kill yourself.” Captain Mondragon walked over to the phonograph and removed the needle from the current record. He rummaged through the stack of records next to the machine, mumbling to himself.

“Please, let it be slower.” Carlos almost whined. Today had been hard, having a rough practice earlier in the morning. The bullfighter had been distracted, running steps and sequences over in his head and not paying attention to where the bull was…and got hit. Lucky for him, he got the wind knocked out of him and slammed to the ground, and no other damage was done. But his entire body ached, and he was worried if he’d be healed enough to perform properly by the time Carmen arrived.

The soldier made a sound of triumph when he found what he was looking for, quickly setting up the new record. “Maybe, but it’s a hell of a lot easier.” The music started to fill the large sitting room, and it had an easy lilting melody.

Carlos’s brows furrowed, not familiar with this kind of music. “What is it?”

“It’s called a waltz. Typically used for ballroom dancing.” Captain Mondragon stretched his arms over his head, cracking his back. “This should be a good break for you.”

“How do you consider this being a break if I’m still on my feet, dancing?” It was dancing right? It wasn’t some strange foreign fighting style that he didn’t know about, at least he hoped not.

“Because you don’t have to learn anything.” The soldier walked over to the bullfighter and stood next to him. “Just…move with the music.”

Carlos sighed, lining himself up with the practice dummy. “Alright, what do I do.” He could feel his patience being tried when Captain Mondragon laughed next to him.

“Oh, no…not with that.” He shoved the dummy out of the way and squared himself up with Carlos.

“Than what am I supposed to dance with?” He huffed, not in the mood for whatever antics the soldier had in store for him today.

“Me.” The soldier pointed a thumb at himself with a large grin. “Think you can swallow your pride long enough for it?”

Carlos eyed him suspiciously, feeling uncomfortable at the idea of dancing with the soldier. Granted, it had to be better than that dummy he’d been using, but he was hesitant to accept. This was Mondragon after all, there had to be more to it. “What brought this on?”

Captain Mondragon raised and eyebrow, looking down on the bullfighter. “If I remember correctly, you made the insinuation that I had no idea what I was doing and had to be making it up yesterday.” A grin pulled at his lips as he offered Carlos his hand. “I’m here to put my money where my mouth is.”

The bullfighter hesitated another moment, before his shoulders dropped and he sighed. He rolled his head back and prayed to the gods for patience…and possibly to keep this hidden away until he was long dead. “I swear, if this is some kind of trick…”

The taller man snorted, positioning himself and Carlos in to the form. “Trust me when I say I’d rather dance with anyone other than you.”

“I’m not sure if I should be pleased or insulted.” He snorted, trying to make light of an embarrassing situation. It wasn’t getting any better for him when Captain Mondragon moved his arm so that it was resting against the soldier’s while the man’s hand was resting just high of his waist.

“Why not both and we call it even. Now…” Captain Mondragon grabbed Carlos’s free hand in his own and eyed the shorter man. “Follow my lead. Beats are in two batches of three, and it starts with my left, your right. I step forward, and you go back. Ready?” The soldier waited for the beat to come around again before stepping forward and then to the side. “One, two, three, one, two, three…”

Carlos had been expecting this to be awkward and beyond embarrassing and he was right. This had to have been the strangest thing he’d done in his life. It was unfamiliar and uncomfortable; give him a bullring and a bull to fight any day, at least there he could be in his element. But this?  Carlos didn’t really see the point. He never went to fancy parties or…whatever those events were that the soldier was always invited to.

He didn’t need to know how to dance to fight a bull. He would never go to an after party that required dancing be done, or anything like that. And, Carlos had to admit, after this, he probably would never need to dance ever again in his life. But he could understand the draw, even past his reservations about his…dancing partner.

“You’re thinking too much.” Captain Mondragon broke the bullfighter out of his thoughts. The soldier twirled them around the room, nimble in avoiding furniture and leading Carlos in the dance. “I know how much you despise having fun, but try to relax. Let the music lead you.”

Carlos let that one slide, thinking that if he tried to stop and let go now, he’d end up falling flat on his face. Instead he grumbled and ignored the soldier, focusing on the music and the directional flow of being led…not that he would admit that last part.

As the song ended, Captain Mondragon slowed down enough that Carlos was able to stop and not stumble out of the dance. The soldier chuckled, but made no comment about how quick the bullfighter was to disengage from his partner. He walked over to the player and stopped the needle before it got too far into the next song. “So, what’s the verdict? Do I back up my claims?”

“I suppose you are…knowledgeable…about this one thing.” Was Carlos’s grudging answer. He never wanted to admit whenever the man was right or knew more than he did, so it was almost a physical pain to answer in that way. However, the bullfighter was quick to follow it up with a threat. “If you ever breathe a word of this, I will kill you.”

His reply was a well-natured laugh.

* * *

“Remind me when all of this is over that I need to make your life a living hell.” Captain Mondragon groaned, rubbing at his face. Seventy-two.

“You already are.” The bullfighter replied in-between breaths as he guzzled a glass of water.

“This doesn’t count; you _wanted_ this.” The soldier was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

Carlos groaned, shooting the man a weak glare from the chair he had collapsed in.

“Hey, don’t give me that look. You’re the one who was beating down my door almost two weeks ago, _begging_ me to help you.”

“A Sanchez man never begs.” Carlos shot back, but it lacked its normal heat due to exhaustion.

“It was a near thing then.” The soldier deadpanned, eyeing the tired bullfighter. A few minutes passed before Captain Mondragon was urging Carlos to get back up. “Alright, let’s run through this again.”

The bullfighter bemoaned his bad luck in…friends. If the soldier could even be considered that. “Just let me sleep…it’ll only be for a few minutes…” Carlos half moaned, half whined when the soldier started pressing on his shoulders to get him up.

“You can sleep when you’re dead. C’mon, Sanchez, get up.”

Against his protesting body, the soldier managed to get the bullfighter on his feet. “At this rate, it won’t take long.”

“Yeah, yeah, now start from the beginning.” Captain Mondragon put the needle back on the record and the music started up.

Carlos took place with the dummy and started the movements of the dance. _Gods, kill me now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this. It's a great break from the pile of angst I'm currently under for other things. Neeway, I hope you enjoyed, and part II will be coming soon.


	2. Shut Up and Dance With Me (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the part I'm sure everyone's been waiting for: the big dance. More awkwardly adorable moments and baby dads having baby fights.

After two weeks of hard work and being pushed to near exhaustion and collapse, the day came for Carmen to arrive. His father had been pushing him in his training for his upcoming bullfight in a couple of days, and that paired with Joaquín’s lessons had almost run him into the ground. It also didn’t help that he was close to getting gored this morning in training. After getting an earful from his father about being more dedicated, ‘ _Carlos, stop being distracted, get your head back in the game!_ ’, he’d been dismissed for the day.

He’d been thankful for the break.

The bullfighter had retreated to his room to prepare for the evenings events. After getting word from Carmen about the exact day that she was going to come to San Angel, he’d made the mistake of telling Joaquín about it. The bastard had set up a celebration for the evening, complete with decorations, catering, a band…anything that would be at one of his fancy parties, it was going to be there tonight.

Carlos still wasn’t sure what the point of it was and if he should have been grateful or not. He was beginning to lean towards the later, even after the explanation the soldier gave him was logical. It would provide a better crowd and opportunity for her to sing to more people, and with everyone gathered in the center of town, it was the perfect place for a performance. And, with a party in full swing, it wouldn’t appear strange when Carlos had his dance with Carmen. The bullfighter was loathe to admit that it made a lot of sense.

Carlos could already hear the celebrations starting, and it sounded like the entire town was going to show up. Really, that shouldn’t have been surprising since they hadn’t had a large scale party or celebration for a long time. It also might have been the reason why no one had questioned Captain Mondragon when he announced that he was throwing a celebration for the town for no apparent reason.

He’d done his best to squash down his rising anxiety about tonight for the past hour or so, pacing around his room and running over the dance moves in his head. Carlos was beginning to wonder if maybe a tango was a horrible, terrible idea…he had no knowledge if she knew how to dance to something like that, but Joaquín had told him over and over again that it didn’t matter if she knew or not, if she had a good enough lead. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind it was supposed to be reassuring, but it was only causing the bullfighter more grief.

The tension running through his body was still high even as he made his way to the town center where the celebration was already underway. The townspeople were having fun and enjoying themselves, but it didn’t make him feel any better. He was quick to pick out his father, surrounded once again by a large group of people eager to hear him retell bullfighting stories that he’d already told hundreds of times before. His grandmother was also there, making sure to keep the man in check from making the stories so glorified they were no longer true.

There were a few people that came up to him regarding his profession, but he was still young to the sport and didn’t have the following his father did yet. Maybe one day he’d have the kinds of crowds his father did, maybe even larger ones, but that was still a ways off. Even so, he dreamed of the day people would recall him by his first name, not just his family legacy.

Moving through the crowd was harder than he expected. There were more people here than he thought he’d ever seen in one place outside the arena, though that was to be expected…there was always a large turn out for Joaquín’s parties. Carlos rolled his eyes when he heard the soldier’s booming laugh. _Speak of the devil…_

Captain Mondragon was entertaining a group of young women and soldiers, probably with another one of his war stories. Carlos made a quick change of direction, not wanting to have anything to do with the soldier; he’d had more than enough interaction with the man over the last two weeks. The bullfighter attempted to slip away, but he found that luck was not on his side.

“There you are, Sanchez.” Captain Mondragon slapped a heavy hand on his shoulder and steered him over to the group of people that had been surrounding the soldier. He leaned over, being sure to keep his voice down…for once. “Is she here? Have you seen her yet?”

“No, I haven’t. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to it…” Carlos grumbled, feeling his balance being thrown off by the extra weight of the soldier’s arm. The grip on his shoulder tightened and he knew he wasn’t going to be escaping any time soon.

“C’mon, live a little! You’re at a party; the least you can do is have a little fun.” The soldier chuckled, waving his hand in gesture of the celebration. “And if anything you’ve told me is correct, she’ll be looking for you too. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” Captain Mondragon gave the shorter man a shake, meant to be in good jest, but ended up rattling the bullfighter more than intended.

He grumbled, allowing himself to be walked back to the group of people eagerly waiting for the soldier to return. Carlos knew it was useless to fight the man on this; the bullfighter might have been more agile than Joaquín, but the soldier was stronger. Another trait he was never willing to admit. “Fine, but only for _one_ story. I know how much of a windbag you can be.”

The taller man laughed, his grip relaxing and pulling the bullfighter close to him in an awkward side hug. “And you are the biggest stick in the mud I have ever met.”

“Is that a challenge?” Carlos couldn’t help but raise his hackles against the soldier.

Captain Mondragon raised an eyebrow at Carlos. “That’s pretty pathetic if you need to be goaded into having fun, _hombre_.” As they molded into the circle of people, the soldier released him, greeting his adoring public with a bright smile.

Carlos was going to shoot the man down, but decided against the idea with all these people surrounding them. It wouldn’t do him any good to insult the town’s, and a good portion of Mexico’s, hero with so many witnesses. It struck the bullfighter that Joaquín had done this on purpose to suppress the fight in him, and he tried to beat down his rising anger the soldier. _Bastard_. He crossed his arms, trying not to roll his eyes as several young women flocked to the man’s side.

“Now, where was I?” The soldier hadn’t even taken a breath before he was interrupted.

“Carlos?”

His name had his head snapping in the direction it called from, and the person who said it. Could it have really been that easy? Could he possibly, maybe owe the soldier a thanks for dragging him over here? After a second of thought, it was a resounding ‘no’. A wide smile pulled his lips and gave a little bow to the woman making her way over to him. “ _Señorita_ Rivera.”

“Ah! I’m so glad I found you.” Her returned smile was warm and her eyes glittered in the light of the setting sun. “I’ve been looking for you since I arrived. You weren’t hiding from me, were you?” Carmen didn’t wait for an arm to be offered to her, she walked up to him and put her hands around his arm and gave him a gentle tug.

“Not at all.” His smile turned into a smug grin at the face the good Captain was currently giving him; slack jawed and opened mouthed in shocked confusion. Carlos didn’t know why he was getting such a reaction, but he’d never hesitate to get one up on the soldier. _Take that, Mondragon_.

Carmen pulled on his arm again and he was happy to go with her, leaving the crowded circle of people for a less populated area of the square…not to mention a still gawking Joaquín. His gait was slow, matching her excited pace with easy strides, amused with how she was subtle in leading and directing him while they walked.

As they strolled around the fountain, Carlos watched Carmen out of the corner of his eye. She seemed fascinated by the decorations and the buildings, her mouth open in awe as her head and eyes darted around. “It’s beautiful! What’s the occasion? I’m not aware of any celebrations or holidays for today?”

Carlos chuckled, gesturing to the area in a wide sweep of his arm, similar to how he addressed an audience at one of his fights. “There’s no occasion. Just the whim of a man with too much time and money on his hands.”

She laughed, leaning into him for a moment. “Even so, it’s very festive.” Carmen looked up at the hanging decorations, beautifully cut paper designs in all sorts of colors. “Do you know him well? Joaquín Mondragon, I mean.”

The bullfighter grumbled. “I’m acquainted with him, yes…” While he was pleased that he got to spend some time with Carmen before her performance, he didn’t want to spend it talking about the soldier.

She giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hand. Carmen eyed him, her eyes dancing with amusement. “That well, hm?” She pulled his arm closer to her, causing him to bend a little for comfort. The singer lowered her voice to whisper conspiratorially with him. “To be honest, I’m really glad you showed up. I’m not sure I could take another one of his battle stories!”

The knowledge caused the bullfighter to laugh, but it trailed off when he realized how close their faces were to each other. Carlos straightened up and cleared his throat, trying to ignore the slight burning in his face. “You uh…you hear many of those?”

“ _Ay_ , you have no _idea_ …” Carmen sighed in exaggeration, rolling her eyes to the sky. “I hear them all the time from my family, and then when he and Simon get together, _ugh_. It never ends!”

Carlos chuckled, understanding her displeasure. If he had to hear about how Joaquín saved this or did that one more time, he was going to punch the man in the face. The bullfighter had heard enough of the soldier’s stories for a lifetime. “Well, let’s change the subject then. Why don’t you tell me of your travels? It sounded like you’re having quite the adventure in your letter.”

Her eyes lit up as she started talking about all the places she’d been and seen. He was captivated by her; in the way she talked excitedly, how her eyes sparkled and her words started to run together in her enthusiasm. Her passion for music and dancing floored him, and he started to worry again that his hard work wouldn’t do much more than make him look like a fool.

Carmen told him of how she met her band, and they sounded just as colorful characters as herself. She was overjoyed that word was starting to spread, even if it was slow, about her talents. For the most part they still played and sang in small bars and cantinas, but every now and then, like tonight, they would get to perform for large audiences at parties or gatherings. As disgruntled as he was with Joaquín for setting the event up, it gave Carmen and her band the opportunity to perform for a large crowd, and hopefully help spread the word.

Carlos was more than happy to let her talk and dominate the conversation, since he hadn’t ever been much for adding to conversation. He always thought of himself a better listener than a talker; he’d learned that from his father. If you kept your ear out, and your mouth shut, you tended to learn more. And he could say that he was learning a lot about this fiery young woman.

She inquired about him, and what he had been doing as of late. He told her in earnest that he wasn’t very interesting, that most of what he’d been doing was training for his next big bullfight that was in a couple days. Carlos was surprised how casual he’d been about asking her to attend, if she was interested. He’d almost tripped on nothing at all when she said she’d be happy to attend, and that maybe he could get her a better seat closer to the ring this time. His face heated and he stuttered out that he’d do his best.

He still wasn’t sure if he meant getting her a seat or performing in the ring.

All too soon, she had to take her leave to get ready for her performance. The bullfighter had done his best to sneak through the crowd to find the best place to watch her from…in an area that was as far away from the Captain he could get would be preferable. It didn’t take long for the band to get ready, and the bullfighter had just reached his location when the music started up.

Carlos hadn’t been expecting his stomach to flip when he heard the first few notes that Carmen sang. She sounded just as beautiful and enchanting as she had that afternoon in the cantina. He hadn’t noticed how tense he had been until his body started to relax, the music wrapping around him in a soothing embrace. He knew now that this wasn’t a fluke that happened one time; there was something about her voice that put him at ease, and he wondered if maybe it was touched with magic.

As she sang, she danced around the clearing the townspeople had made for her, and when one lively tune came about, she encouraged those around her to dance. The upbeat tune even had him tapping his toes, though he did his best to hide it. He didn’t, however, try to hide the smile that crept across his face seeing her perform. Carlos didn’t understand why it made him so happy to see her enjoying herself, but he felt it nonetheless. It made him less anxious about what he was planning to do later.

In his momentary distraction, he had almost forgotten about dancing with her. Even if he had, the bullfighter had no doubt in his mind that she would have reminded him.

He was brought out of his trance when the crowd roared their approval of her performance. Carlos could see the flush in her cheeks as she curtsied to her audience and went over to the band to congratulate them. He waited a few minutes while townspeople went up and talked to Carmen and her band about their performance. When it looked like she was free again, he made his way over to her.

She was quick to spot him, her eyes lit up and a wide smile curling her lips. “How was it?” The singer wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

“It was good. _You_ were good.” Carlos cleared his throat and shuffled in place, his stance awkward and unsure.

Carmen raised a brow and tilted her head to the side, her lips curling in a playful smile. “Just good?”

He could feel his face heating up at the question, and he tried to stutter out an answer without thinking it through. “Well, I mean…you’re just as beautiful as you were before, I mean, your performance…the last time I saw you.” His cheeks were burning and his mouth had gone dry, and whatever calm collectedness he’d had before left him in that instant.

The singer laughed, and the musical sound put him a little at ease. “My goodness, you’re a serious one! I’m just teasing you!” She smacked him in the arm, her gesture light and playful. “Are all bullfighters so stern?”

“I…” He had no idea how to answer that. Carlos couldn’t speak for other bullfighters, but he knew his lineage well enough that, yes, it runs in the family. He couldn’t remember seeing a single picture or poster where any of his family looked pleased. Nothing but tough looks and scowls as far as the eye could see.

Before Carlos could manage to come up with some kind of answer, and he was beginning to think that she was still teasing him, the music started back up: a song that he had become very familiar with in the last two weeks. He looked around in a growing panic, spotting Captain Mondragon near the band. The bullfighter tried to swallow past the lump in his throat, knowing that the soldier must have had this planned from the start because Carlos wouldn’t have done it on his own. He hated the man a little bit more in that instant.

Next to him, Carmen gasped and fisted her hand in his jacket, much like she had when they were in the cantina. She turned a blinding smile on him, her features lighting up at the music. “How about that dance, _torero?_ ”

Carlos beat down his uncertainty, schooling his features. This is what he’d been working for the last two weeks, and he’d be damned if he tried to run away now. The man had never been one to back down from a challenge, and it was time he faced this one like he did a bull in the ring. He gave her a sure grin, which was far from what he was feeling, but he hoped she didn’t notice, and offered her his hand. “As the lady wishes.”

When she took his hand, it was like he’d been shocked, the jolt running up his arm. Carlos did his best to ignore how small her hand was in his, but even so there was warmth that radiated from it. His nerves were trying to get the better of him, but he remembered to take deep, even breaths to calm himself. If he treated this like one of his fights, then he could rely on his training the get him through.

He led her to where other couples were dancing to the music, and he did his best to focus in on the music and not what was happening around him. Carlos’s moves were automatic by this point after running over the dance to the point it was almost engrained into his memory. He pulled her close, shifting the grip of their hands and resting his other one on her waist. The bullfighter could feel his heart racing in his chest when she rested her free hand on his arm, and he missed the smirk curling her lips.

Carlos started to move, and for a brief moment, he worried that she wouldn’t know a dance like this and he wasn’t confident enough in his leading abilities to help her through it.

He had nothing to worry about; her dancing with him was easy, and she flowed around his more stiff movements. Even so, in the back of his mind, he was praying that he didn’t make a mistake.

Of course as soon at the thought entered his mind, he sidestepped the wrong way, and threw off their balance and rhythm for a moment. His face burned as he clenched his jaw in his embarrassment, looking at a spot somewhere over Carmen’s shoulder. Carlos mentally cursed himself for being a fool, knowing he didn’t have the time to lick the wound to his pride right now.

The heat in his face raged when she laughed, quiet and playful. Carmen was flawless getting them back on beat, spinning around in his arms and stepping back to urge him forward. The singer’s smile was wide as she let out another giggle and encouraged him to spin her around again, her long dress flaring out around her legs.

Carlos’s plan for an impressive dance went up in smoke at that point. The tango he had leaned from Joaquín was reduced and loose at best, considering the time frame he had to learn it. The bullfighter had gotten the concept down pretty quick, but specific and planned movements were more difficult, considering his dancing partner was a training dummy. His tango might have been more on the simple side, but at least it could still be recognized as such.

What they were doing now was a strange combination of tango and improvisation that just _worked_. Carlos continued to move to his engrained steps while Carmen provided the extra flare and made up steps on the spot. Seeing her having so much fun, with him no less, relaxed him. He listened to the music and watched her movements, feeling more comfortable in this strange but natural dance. Carlos was more than happy to follow her lead, adding in his own flare like we would in the bullring, his confidence growing with every move.

Watching Carmen in her element, seeing her having so much fun, it put his last fears and reservations about this dance at ease. It might not have gone as he planned, but he also wouldn’t change it for anything. He couldn’t explain it, but there was something about this woman that brought a sense of bone deep calm that he had never experienced before, and being with her felt natural. Because he, Carlos Sanchez, was having _fun_ doing something he felt uncomfortable with, just because he was with Carmen.

As the song was coming to an end, the bullfighter knew that he still wanted to close with the move he’d had planned for the last two weeks. He spun her around one last time and pulled her flush against him, before leaning her back in a deep dip just as the last note played from the band. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, both breathing hard and faces flushed with their exertions, but it was only a handful of seconds.

Carlos pulled her back up, offering her a wide grin despite still feeling embarrassed by his inexperience. He attempted to step back and put a little bit of space between them, but she held onto his jacket arm and prevented him from getting far. His insides flipped when her laughter was quiet and breathless.

She waved a hand at her face as she tried to catch her breath, her hair in slight disarray from their dance and he never thought she looked more beautiful. “Well! That was definitely worth the wait!” Carmen laughed again, leaning towards the bullfighter.

Carlos chuckled, his now free hand finding the one still clutching his jacket sleeve, placing it over hers without thought. “I’m just glad you enjoyed yourself.” And it was true; he’d done this for her after all.

The singer smiled at him, cocking her head to the side. “You know, you’re not a bad dancer once you loosen up a little.” She gestured towards him, the back of her fingers brushing against his jacket with the movement.

He could feel his cheeks heating again, even past the flush already there. “Oh uh…thank you.” Carlos reached back and scratched at the back of his neck, feeling his chest swelling with… _something_.

She brushed some of her hair out of her face, putting little effort in putting it back into place. Carmen fanned her face a little more, looking around. “I’m going to grab something to drink, would you like anything?”

“Whatever you have is fine with me.” The words poured out of his mouth before he could put much thought into them.

Carmen gave him a warm smile, her eyes still alight from their dance, and she pulled away almost reluctantly. She weaved her way into the crowd and soon she had disappeared into the sea of bodies.

The bullfighter let out a long breath when she was gone, feeling both relieved that the whole thing was over, and a little excited as well. He wasn’t much for dancing, but he’d do so again if it was with Carmen. A shiver of exhilaration ran down his spine at the thought of dancing with her again.

His good mood was shattered when a heavy hand slapped him on the back, causing the bullfighter to jerk forward. Carlos didn’t have to look to know who he’d been assaulted by. He rolled his eyes, turning his attention to the soldier. “Was that really necessary?”

“Always.” Joaquín said, giving the shorter man a playful shake. “So! You didn’t tell me you were interested in the Rivera girl.”

The bullfighter grumbled, trying to dislodge the soldier’s hand and arm. “Didn’t think it was important. Besides, how was I supposed to know you knew her?”

The Captain hummed, nodding his head as he surveyed the crowd. “True, but you also didn’t mention that you met her brother.”

Carlos eyed the soldier. “How did you…?”

Joaquín chuckled, pulling Carlos closer to him in a side embrace. “Ran into him on my last mission before you came home and begged me to teach you to dance.” This close he seemed to tower over the bullfighter and it didn’t help that Carlos was pulled to him in a somewhat awkward angle. “Imagine my surprise to learn the ‘upstart bullfighter’ he mentioned to me was none other than you.”

“I believe it. That was some face you pulled earlier.” Carlos snickered, but winced when he was squeezed. “Why do you bring it up? Looking out for your friend’s sister?”

Joaquín tilted his head, bringing his hand up to scratch the side of his stubble covered face lazily. A few moments passed before the soldier shrugged. “Hm, not so much. She is beautiful, and quite the spitfire from what I’ve seen…it would be quite the challenge to win her over.”

The bullfighter’s face twisted at what he was implying. “You can’t be serious…” Using the soldier’s distraction to his advantage, he managed to push him off and away from him. Carlos dusted the front of his jacket off, giving the man a hard look.

“What?” The Captain spoke with a careless wave of his hand, a smirk pulling at his lips. “It would just be another competition, and I know how much you can’t resist those.” Joaquín spoke with a raise of his eyebrow. “Besides, I’m bored.”

“You would willingly compete for the love of a woman, just because you’re bored…” Carlos scoffed in disbelief. “I knew you were a bottom feeder, Joaquín, but that is despicable even for you.” He rubbed at his temples, his aggravation with the soldier starting to show.

Joaquín chuckled, giving Carlos another slap on the shoulder. “Aw, don’t be that way. Who knows? Maybe the winds will finally change in your favor, considering the disadvantage you’re at.”

Carlos knew he was going to regret asking, but he couldn’t stop himself. “And what would that be?”

“For one, our family’s interests are very similar.” The soldier puffed out his chest, making the medals that adorned it shine and glitter in the gaslight of the square. “And two, her brother actually likes me. You? Not so much.”

He slapped the Captain’s hand off his shoulder, pointing a finger at the taller man. “If you really are hell bent on doing this, then you have to know it’s not going to end well.” Carlos didn’t have to clarify that he was talking about Joaquín, the soldier must have already known. “You should also know, that if you decide to go down this path, you’ll find yourself with my foot up your ass.”

Joaquín let out a booming laugh, his head thrown back in his mirth. “That’s the spirit! I knew I could count on you.”

The bullfighter couldn’t believe the man’s gall, his hands balling into fists at his sides. How he wanted to throw one of them into the soldier’s face. Carlos had always known Joaquín to make bad decisions for the sake of competition, but this was far beyond any of the bad ideas he’d come up with in the past. This was just _bad form_. He’d learned at a very early age that you treat women with respect, and don’t do stupid things like this. Carlos could thank Anita for that.

He had opened his mouth to tell the soldier as much, but his attention was caught by the return of Carmen. Carlos leveled the taller man with a glare, making it apparent that while this wasn’t over, it was done for now. “If you’ll excuse me.” The bullfighter made sure to shoulder check the soldier as he passed.

Carlos greeted the singer like he hadn’t been about to lay the soldier flat out, and he allowed himself to slip back into that easy calmness he felt when around her. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Captain watching them, one hand curled around his chin while the other supported his elbow. The soldier was pushed out of his thoughts as soon as Carmen took his arm and led him off into the crowd.

He completely missed how the soldier’s features softened as he shook his head, his hands going to his hips as he muttered, “About time, Carlos.” Then he too, disappeared into the crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
